The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: clemon79 on April 29, 2005, 08:10:49 PM

Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: clemon79 on April 29, 2005, 08:10:49 PM
As long as people are asking P+ questions:

For some reason, in the VERY early run of the show, I remember the Alphabetics board hanging center stage, where the big P+ sign lives, instead of being on the left wall behind those doors. Was this the case, or am I just high?
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: SplitSecond on April 29, 2005, 08:15:33 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 29 2005, 05:10 PM\']For some reason, in the VERY early run of the show, I remember the Alphabetics board hanging center stage, where the big P+ sign lives, instead of being on the left wall behind those doors. Was this the case, or am I just high?
[/quote]
There was definitely a hanging sign, so possibly both.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: SRIV94 on April 29, 2005, 08:28:12 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 29 2005, 07:10 PM\']As long as people are asking P+ questions:

For some reason, in the VERY early run of the show, I remember the Alphabetics board hanging center stage, where the big P+ sign lives, instead of being on the left wall behind those doors. Was this the case, or am I just high?
[snapback]83888[/snapback]
[/quote]
Yer not high.

I rummaged through some tapes and found the Monday ep with Elaine Joyce and Tom Kennedy (sixth week of the run), and sure enough, the Alphabetics board was hanging center stage.

Doug
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: MCArroyo1 on April 29, 2005, 09:08:44 PM
They made a point about it once the so-called "Alphabetics Wall" debuted.  Liz Montgomery and Bert Convy were the celebs, so I think that was, like, Week 7 or 8.  Or something like that.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: tvwxman on April 29, 2005, 09:15:30 PM
So the question is : Why?

The Alphabetics wall, sans alphabetics , was already there...was it a case of staging, or doors not being ready for the debut?
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Chelsea Thrasher on April 29, 2005, 09:40:50 PM
...Found some screenshots digging around...

Link (http://\"http://www.geocities.com/jay_anton/passwordplus1.html\")

The last two images show the alternately staged Alphabetics
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Robair on April 29, 2005, 09:49:10 PM
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Apr 29 2005, 08:15 PM\']So the question is : Why?[/quote]

Why not? His parents were away, and his school buddies told him he could turn a can of Lysol upside down so only the "funny gas" could come out.

Are we still talking about Lemon being high? ;-)
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on April 29, 2005, 10:03:44 PM
I remember thinking it was to avoid knocking Allen out cold when they lowered it--but then they were lowering the "Password Plus" sign in the same spot. Another theory shot to hell.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: whewfan on April 30, 2005, 05:39:27 AM
I think I do remember Chris C saying that the doors that revealed the Alphabetics board were not ready or something.

Only once did the doors get stuck. Allen tried VERY hard not to get too flustered as someone tried to pry the doors open.

Another possible reason for changing the staging was because the celeb's back was to the studio audience
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: clemon79 on April 30, 2005, 06:44:09 AM
And now my followup: I always thought the board that displays the ten letters on screen (that blacks out the letter with each correct answer) was the same one the contestant had to look at during Alphabetics. We saw the other day that this wasn't so when Tom showed us the actual contestant lightboard, which arranged the letters in three rows of 4, 4, and 2.

So where was the board that WE saw located, and why didn't they use THAT board for the players?
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: passwordplus on May 01, 2005, 01:44:17 PM
[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' date=\'Apr 29 2005, 09:40 PM\']...Found some screenshots digging around...

Link (http://\"http://www.geocities.com/jay_anton/passwordplus1.html\")

The last two images show the alternately staged Alphabetics
[snapback]83900[/snapback]
[/quote]

Hey nice site, I am now into the Card Sharks section
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: chris319 on May 01, 2005, 08:27:14 PM
The Alphabetics doors were not built until we had been renewed for our second cycle. I'm not sure if they were not part of the original set due to time constraints, budget constraints or both.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Tony on May 01, 2005, 08:44:12 PM
[quote name=\'whewfan\' date=\'Apr 30 2005, 04:39 AM\']Another possible reason for changing the staging was because the celeb's back was to the studio audience
[/quote]
That strikes me as a bit odd, since every incarnation of the Pyramid has had the clue giver's (usually the celeb) back to the audience.  But then, Bob Stewart wasn't Mark Goodson.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: clemon79 on May 01, 2005, 08:48:39 PM
[quote name=\'Tony\' date=\'May 1 2005, 05:44 PM\'][quote name=\'whewfan\' date=\'Apr 30 2005, 04:39 AM\']Another possible reason for changing the staging was because the celeb's back was to the studio audience
[/quote]
That strikes me as a bit odd, since every incarnation of the Pyramid has had the clue giver's (usually the celeb) back to the audience.  But then, Bob Stewart wasn't Mark Goodson.
[snapback]84044[/snapback]
[/quote]
That, and can you imagine a Pyramid set where the Pyramid ISN'T at center stage?

If anyone thinks that is a good idea, well, I just don't want to know them.

"Keep your eye on this spot. This is the Winner's Circle. Yes, way the hell over here."
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Clay Zambo on May 02, 2005, 08:21:15 AM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 1 2005, 07:48 PM\']That, and can you imagine a Pyramid set where the Pyramid ISN'T at center stage?

..."Keep your eye on this spot. This is the Winner's Circle. Yes, way the hell over here."
[/quote]

Very nice!  Now, can you help me wipe the coffee off my monitor?

The asymmetrical staging of P+/SP staging always struck me as odd, but at least the Alphabetics wall balanced the puzzle wall.  Now, because something always needs to bother me a little about gameshows that are old enough to drink, I have another staging issue.

The maingame platform for P+ is several steps higher than the Alphabetics area.   (In SP the maingame desk is on a wagon, maybe 6" high.)

Seems to me you'd want to metaphorically raise the stakes by having the players walk up to play for the bonus prize.

Anybody know why it was done contrariwise?
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: jmangin on May 02, 2005, 10:36:18 AM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 1 2005, 08:48 PM\']"Keep your eye on this spot. This is the Winner's Circle. Yes, way the hell over here."
[snapback]84047[/snapback]
[/quote]

Wasn't that part of the "Pyramid 97" or whatever pilot where they had 6 "Pyramid Players" instead of 2 celebs?  They had a "Winners' Corner"
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: chris319 on May 02, 2005, 05:22:51 PM
Quote
The maingame platform for P+ is several steps higher than the Alphabetics area. (In SP the maingame desk is on a wagon, maybe 6" high.)

Seems to me you'd want to metaphorically raise the stakes by having the players walk up to play for the bonus prize.
It was elevated to accomodate the projection equipment used to project the password onto the front of the desk.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Desperado on May 02, 2005, 06:57:47 PM
[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'May 2 2005, 04:22 PM\']
Quote
The maingame platform for P+ is several steps higher than the Alphabetics area. (In SP the maingame desk is on a wagon, maybe 6" high.)

Seems to me you'd want to metaphorically raise the stakes by having the players walk up to play for the bonus prize.
It was elevated to accomodate the projection equipment used to project the password onto the front of the desk.
[snapback]84133[/snapback]
[/quote]
Other reasons:

Anytime people are seated on a game show or talk show, they're usually on a platform of some sort.  This is so they're closer to the height of the cameras and camera operators.  

On P+ (and SP), only the contestants (seated) are on the platform.  The host stands in a recessed area at floor level so there isn't a great height difference.

During Alphabetics, the players are seated on tall stools, so a platform really isn't needed.
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Clay Zambo on May 03, 2005, 12:23:52 AM
[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'May 2 2005, 04:22 PM\']It was elevated to accomodate the projection equipment used to project the password onto the front of the desk.
[/quote]

Thank you, sir.  Now I needn't ask if the password was projected or super'd there in post!
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: Neumms on May 03, 2005, 01:16:02 PM
Another couple of esoteric questions for Chris:

Why did they bother to project the password on the front of the desk rather than supering it?

Why didn't they keep showing the Password Puzzle wall as part of the set after a while? (Never having seen the early episodes, I always kind of wondered where they all were looking.)
Title: P+: Alphabetics at center stage?
Post by: chris319 on May 03, 2005, 04:38:47 PM
[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'May 3 2005, 10:16 AM\']Another couple of esoteric questions for Chris:

Why did they bother to project the password on the front of the desk rather than supering it?

Why didn't they keep showing the Password Puzzle wall as part of the set after a while? (Never having seen the early episodes, I always kind of wondered where they all were looking.)
[snapback]84233[/snapback]
[/quote]
1. NBC convinced them to do it.

2. It was deemed unnecessary after a while.